My sister has always served as an inspiration to me. From her unbelievable eye with photography to her boss-ass skills with graphic design, her actions and convictions have helped inspire and guide me. Last year, Jennifer and her husband, Zach, embarked on a journey that would change their lives forever. Their ambition and drive has been a personal motivator for me and so I wish to share their story with you in hopes that it will leave you filled with a sense of adventure and inspiration.

September 21, 2015, Jennifer McGarvey reached the end of one of the most trying and transformative experiences of her life; her long distance thru hike on the Appalachian Trail had finally come to its conclusion. The Appalachian Trail (AT) spans down the east coast, stretching a whopping 2,190 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. On average it takes a person five to seven months to complete this long distance hike, Jennifer completed her hike in six. These ‘long distance hikes’ are often referred to as ‘thru hikes’. Every year, thousands attempt this hike but roughly one in four completes the trail in its entirety.

Though it began as speculative talk between the two, Jen and Zach had never made any commitments to thru hiking the AT. The moment in which Jennifer thought ‘This is something we have to do’ – occurred during a short back packing trip with friends. During the weeklong trip to a small section of the AT, somewhere in the Smokey Mountains, Jennifer and her friends came across several thru hikers. It was hearing their stories and trials on the AT that really solidified the journey for Jennifer – she knew that this was the next step in her life that she was meant to take. So, Jennifer and Zach decided to take the plunge. Over the course of the year that followed they took every necessary action and prepared for the six-month excursion that lied ahead of them.

One of the major misconceptions about the AT is that the biggest challenge a thru hiker will face is the physical demands of the hike itself – this is true to an extent. However, Zach Davis, author of the Appalachian Trials, highlights that the most challenging aspect for many is actually the psychological and emotional toll that the hike can have on ones mental health. Gear will always need to be replaced, your body will be sore from hiking 12+ miles a day and from sleeping on the rock hard ground for six months straight, you’ll have to deal with bad weather – its about learning how to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Davis suggests as part of your preparation for the hike you construct a list clearly stating why you want to do this. Part of this mental aspect of the hike is that you will spend a days of your hike being uncomfortable – but you need to understand why you’re hiking in the first place, after all the only one making you do this is you.

Next week I will delve into some of Jennifer’s experiences on the AT as well as exploring the after math of such an epic adventure.

Stay tuned!

To see more of Jen’s photo’s for the AT check out her website Jennifer McGarvey!